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Our Mission to 
the Far East 



REPORT BY 

MR. SAMUEL MASON 




Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society 

of America 

229-231 East Broadway New York City 






Gift 
Society 

r.tV <s W8 



"^^h^ A FOREWORD 



We present, herewith, the report of Mr. Samuel Mason upon his mission in the Far East. 
It is a document that will he read with intense interest, for it gives us not merely an account of 
what Mr. Mason accomplished during the six months he labored in Yokohama, Harbin and 
Vladivostock, but it will serve as a guide of what is yet to be done. 

Mr. Mason arrived in Yokohama on the first day of this year, and from that very 
moment until the day of his departure July Jth, he spent every minute in creating a machinery 
for the relief of the thousands of refugees who ^ve thus far been rescued and for the saving of 
the thousands and thousands more who must in the future he taken care of by the Hebrezv Shel- 
tering and Immigrant Aid Society of America. 

No one can read the report without failing to recognize the wisdom of the choice 
of the Board of Directors. Mr. Mason brought to bear upon this work his many years of experi- 
ence of immigrant aid work, his complete tmderstanding of the character of the refugees and his 
broad sympathies for suffering humanity. 

The refugees were found in a most terrible plight. For months they had been driven from 
pillar to post, had suffered most grievously at the hands of officials, had been robbed of their 
funds, had undergone every conceivable and inconceivable hardship. That the unfortunate wo- 
men and children were able to overcome the ordeal is evidence of their tenacity and pluck, which 
was, no doubt, houyed up by the hope that somewhere there must be some people, there must he 
an organization, that would come to their rescue. 

Mr. Mason had to engage in many delicate diplomatic negotiations; international law, 
immigration laws, passport restrictions and above all, the exigencies of a zvar had to be considered. 
His terse statement of the support he received from the United States representatives, the Jap- 
anese Governmerit, the British Officials, and from such Russian Officials as could be reached 
does not tell the zuhole story. The discerning reader may understand what a herculean 
task, what very careful thought, what diplomacy, all this entailed. 

The Society in asking Mr. Mason to undertake the work felt that it put the task upon 
a man zvho would discharge it in a manner that zvould redound to the honor of American Jewry. 

The report indicates that there has been created an organization in the Far East that 
will have far-reaching effects in stabilizing Jewish life. Mr. Mason has given to American 
Jewry, to the world, the most comprehensive re ort of the condition of Russian Jewry. 

Mr. Mason has laid before the Society definite plans for the future. Tens of thousands 
of Jewish refugees will have to he provided for. 

The Hebrezv Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America is inestimably proud of 
the privilege to have inaugurated the work and to have been able to carry it through thus far. 
It will not fail in the future. 

JOHN L. BERNSTEIN, President. 

HEBREW SHELTERING AND IMMIGRANT AID SOCIETY OF AMERICA. 



OUR MISSION TO THE FAR EAST 



REPORT BY mB.. SAMUEL MASON 



To the President and Board of Direstors, 

Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid 
Society of America. 
Gentlemen : — 

After an absence of eight months and twen- 
ty days I have returned from the Par East ar- 
riving in New York on August 5th. 

I herewith beg to present to you my report 
of my activities during this period. 

In accordance with your instructions, au- 
thorized at a meeting of your Board in October, 
1917, I left New York on November 16th, 
1917 bound for Japan. 

The Journey 

Seattle, "Washington, was my first stop. 
There I spent several days in consultation with 
the officers and workers of the Seattle branch 
with a view of studying the facilities for the 
care of women and children — war refugees. I 
also visited the United States Immigration 
Station paying my respects to the officials there. 

Portland, Ore., was visited next and I held 
conferences with Messrs. Ben Selling and David 
N, Mosessohn. 

Thence to San Francisco where I stayed 
several days in conference with the officers and 
workers of the Society's branch in that city. 
I desired to ascertain whether they had any fa- 
cilities for more extensive work. In that city 
too I called upon the officials of the United 
States Immigration Station. 

On December 17th I reached Vancouver, B. 
C. There I conferred with representative Jews 
as to the possible needs that might arise from 
trans-pacific immigration of war-refugees to 
that port. I also deemed it advisable to call 
upon the United States Immigration Inspector- 
in-Charge and the Dominion Immigration In- 
spector-in-Charge. I further conferred with 
representatives of the Canadian Pacific Ocean 
Services, Limited, and succeeded in reaching 
a working agreement relative to steamship ac- 
commodation from the Far East. 

December 20th I sailed on the S. S. Empress 
of Asia arriving in Yokohama January 1st, 
1918. 

The Situation in Yokohama 

Arriving at Yokohama I found that steps 
had been taken to make some provision for the 
refugees. But it soon became evident that 
there would have to be radical changes if the 
well-being of the refugees was to be served. 

The old Royal Hotel, at 87 Yamashita-cho 
had been rented before my arrival, by the 
local Emigrant Aid Society. The funds for the 
purpose had been furnished by Mr. M. Ginz- 



burg, though Mr. B. W. Fleischer had secured 
an option on the premises and was in receipt of 
$3,000 from our Society transmitted through 
Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, for the sole purpose of rent- 
ing and partially equipping the house as a 
shelter for war-refugees. Mr. Fleischer was 
not in Japan for a little while and meanwhile 
the Emigrant Aid Society had interested Mr. 
Ginzburg in the work succeeding in securing a 
lease for one year on the premises. 




SAMUEL MASON 

Mr. Ginzburg set aside 12,000 yen upon the 
understanding that that sum would suffice for 
one year's maintenance. This was in accord- 
ance with an estimate submitted to him by Mr. 
B, Kirshbaum, the president of the Emigrant 
Aid Society. The sum was turned over to Mr. 
Maurice Russel as custodian and administrator. 
The latter named the house. "The Ginzburg 
Home for Russian Emigrants." This fact gave 
it the widest publicity in the native and foreign 
press and the Home was recognized as an in- 
stitution. 

A number of kind-hearted, charitable ladies 
among them Mesdames Ginzburg, Isaacs, Ber- 
rick and Neville then interested themselves in 
the work, to the extent of supplying clothes 
for the half-naked inmates of the Home. They 



subsequently organized a Ladies Committee of 
the Ginzburg Home for Russian Emigrants, 

However it was not long before a clash oc- 
curred between the Ginzburg Home, the Emi- 
grant Aid Society and the Ladies Committee, 
They simply failed to undertsand their respec- 
tive aims. The situation became so aggravated 
that at one time serious disorder among the 
refugees was threatened, one organization 
throwing the blame for the occurrence upon 
the other. Japanese police had to be called 
in to prevent disturbance and from that time 
until the night of February 11th when I ofB- 
cially opened the Home in the name of our 
Society, a policeman was stationed day and 
night at the corner. 

Originally the Royal Hotel had been a well- 
equipped house. It had everything that a good 
hotel should have. Electricity, gas, beds and 
bedding, tables and chairs, dining room, kit- 
chens and store rooms, well furnished lounging 
parlors, a very fine sun room, a billiard room 
and even an immensely large skating rink. 

The gentlemen who rented the hotel were 
asked to pay Y7,000 for all the furniture and 
equipment. But they decided that it was all 
too good for the purpose. They wanted none 
of it, and so permitted everything to be sold 
at auction, including the floor of the skating 
rink, nearly all of the toilet bowls, all the gas 
piping, several of the ranges and every one 
of the electric chandeliers. The Royal Hotel 
had been metamorphosized into an almost 
dilapidated building. 

No sooner had I reached Yokohama than I 
was informed that the "Russian Home" was 
the filthiest place. The Russian people are so 
terribly filthy, I was told. Hence the reason 
for the deplorable state of the "Royal Hotel." 
No one could pass the place, I was further told, 
without acknowledging the absolute truth of 
the statement. 

In order to get away from people who had 
preconceived notions and who were prejudiced, 
as were my new acquaintances, I determined 
to strike out in a different direction. Mr. Sil- 
berberg, of whom I will speak later, accompan- 
ied me. There was another reason for avoid- 
ing the vicinity of the Home. I wanted to 
familiarize myself with the conditions under 
which the Home wa§ founded and conducted. 
However, as we started to walk I scented the 
place where the refugees were kept. The odor 
was exactly as described. I then knew where 
the house was situated, 

I waited a few days before visiting the 
house. By that time I had acquainted myself 
with the relations of the various societies to 
each other, as well as with the reason of their 
contempt for the "filthy Russians." 

In my letter of January 8th I described the 
condition of the house as I found it. Suffice 
it to say that by January 15th, all the three 



organizations had been dissolved, the lease of 
the house assigned to our Society and extended 
to April 1, 1919, and a host of carpenters, 
plumbers, painters, paper hangers and electri- 
cians installed and working at top-speed to 
make the house fit once more for human habit- 
ation. 

On February 11th, we officially announced 
that the house belonged to the Hebrew Shelter- 
ing and Immigrant Aid Society of America. 

There was a public celebration in honor of 
the event and in response to our invitations a 
large number of American and British residents, 
as well as many Japanese were gathered in 
the large hall we had furnished. Addresses 
were made by Mayor Ando, of Yokohama, Hon. 
Geo. H. Scidmore the United States Consul- 
General, M, Wilm, the Russian Consul-General, 
Mr. Maurice Russel and others. 

The same evening an entertainment was 
given by some of the adult emigrants and the 
children. Hebrew, Russian and English songs 
were rendered, followed by American patriotic 
exercises. 

The phonograph records, kindly presented 
by Mrs. Mandel, a member of the Board of Di- 
rectors of the Rose N. Lesser Auxiliary were 
made good use of that evening as they were on 
many subsequent evenings. 

When the ceremonies attending the official 
opening of the Home were at an end, the rep- 
resentative of the Yokohama Police Depart- 
ment took his departure from in front of the 
premises. He never returned. 

The House To-day 

To-day the house looks modern, clean and 
in every respect representative of the high pur- 
pose it is serving. From a conspicuous place 
proudly waves the Stars and Stripes every 
day of the week. In the main corridor is a 
photograph of President Wilson draped in an 
American flag, with a Jewish flag to right and 
a Japanese flag to the left. 

One room is used for classes. Upon the 
blackboard is written the English alphabet. For 
the benefit of the adults as well as the children, 
classes in English are regularly conducted. 

Another room is utilized for religious wor- 
ship. Services are held daily, morning, after- 
noon and evening. 

The beautiful sun-room has been equipped 
as a play room for the children, where they 
are introduced the American national game, 
bats and balls being provided for them. 

The floor of the old skating rink has been 
replaced with cheaper flooring, but is new, 
clean, painted and oiled. It is now a fine dormi- 
tory, capable of accommodating 116 persons, 
and if the need should arise twice that number. 
Eight new lavatories have been installed; 
^ ue old ones have been replaced by new. Four 
tnower baths have been put in and the old wood- 



en bathtubs made fit for use. Electric wiring 
was extended throughout the house. The gas 
was reconnected with the street main and in the 
kitchen several gas ranges were installed and 
the coal range, which had been put out of com- 
mission was repai^-ed. 

A large room in the basement was fitted up 
with shelves and lights and is now used as a 
store room for baggage. 

A small vacant Japanese bungalow in the 
yard has been converted into a store room for 
foodstuffs. 

A second small house in the rear has been 
turned into a laundry for the use of the inmates. 
I found that families had not changed their 
linen in 14 weeks. 

We placed tables and chairs in the dining 
rooms. American, Jewish and Japanese flags 
decorate the walls of the principal rooms. 

At least two lectures were given every week. 
"We never failed to give a talk on Hygiene; 
the other was devoted to Americanization. 

A Canadian Jewish merchant, exclaimed 
after a visit to the Home, "This Home is a liv- 
ing monument to the glory of American Jewish 
charitable enterprise. ' ' 

The present status of the Home is as fol- 
lows: 

Our lease will not expire until April 1st, 
1919. The rental is 300 yen per month, with 
an additional rental of 25 yen per month for a 
floor in an adjoining house devoted to shelter 
men adults. 

The house is completely equipped with the 
exception of bed screens which were to be 
bought after my departure, and without which, 
sleeping in that part of Japan during the re- 
maining summer months is absolutely impos- 
sible. 

The following regular employes are engaged 
in the work of conducting the Home and car- 
ing for the welfare of the refugees from the 
moment of their arrival in Japan until they 
leave for their respective destinations: 

Aron Kasakewitch, Executive Secretary. 

Josef Silberberg, In charge of transporta- 
tion, passports and finances. 

Louis Mandelbaum, Meeting refugees at 
Tsurga and Shimonoseki. 

Malkiel Godlin, Schochet, Mashgiach and 
Cantor. 

J. Borokovsky, Cook. 

Isidore Gold, Caretaker and Custodian. 

Abram Rodoff, Night watchman. 

Max Rochlin, "Waiter. 

One Japanese Porter. 

Two Japanese Maids. 

One Russian Maid. 

Dr. Reidhaar, House Physician. 

Dr. Rukoku, Eye Specialist. 

The monthly Budget exclusive of loans and 
special house furnishing under the present con- 



ditions amounts to 4586 Yen, Details will be 
found in the appendix. 

This budget does not include the monthly 
appropriations for Vladivostok and Harbin 
which should be 1000 roubles and 1500 roubles 
respectively. 

A word as to the engagement of Mr. Josef 
Silberberg. Your Board will recall that Mr. 
Silberberg was formerly the Steward of the 
Seattle Branch. I met him on board the steam- 
ship the Empress of Asia, bound for Harbin, 
where he was to meet his wife and child. Ar- 
riving at Yokohama, he learned that his family 
while on the way from Odessa to Harbin Avas 
compelled to return to Odessa and that he 
would not be able to proceed to Harbin unless 
willing to be drafted into the military service 
of one of the revolutionary forces. Consequent- 
ly Mr. Silberberg remained with me in Yoko- 
hama acting in various capacities, and I finally 
placed him in charge of the transportation and 
passport work, in addition to discharging the 
duties of cashier. 

I have purposely dwelt upon what I may 
term the physical side of the work so that 
your Board may realize the almost revolution- 
ary changes that had to be made at the very 
outset, so that there might be no disturbance 
of the work in the future. 

Refugees Assisted 

Up to the day of my departure from Japan, 
1706 persons had been rescued by our Society, 
from disease, starvation and poverty. After 
a period of general convalescence, when we 
were satisfied of their fitness to travel and their 
eligibility for admission into the United States, 
they entered upon the final stages of their 
journey which reunited them with their kin 
and from whom they had been forced to be 
separated by conditions arising from the war. 

Among these unfortunates were 106 non- 
Jews of different nationalities and religious be- 
liefs, such as Poles, Slavs, Armenians, Syrians, 
Persians who were Roman Catholics, Greek 
Catholics or Protestants. 

Your prompt and liberal responses to my 
appeals for financial support, the beautiful 
spirit of Zedokah permeating Mr. Schiff's en- 
couraging letters and the humanitarian attitude 
of the United States Government enabled me 
to accord to these the fullest attention and care 
of their material needs as well as particular 
consideration for their spiritual wants. 

The social status of those rescued was as 
follows : 

Adult males 172 

Adult females 624 

Children of both sexes, under age 
of 16 910 

TOTAL 1706 

They were destined to relatives as follows: 



To husbands 432 

To parents 947 

To brothers and sisters 133 

To sons and daughters 63 

To uncles, aunts and nephews 50 

To cousins 7 

To friends 53 

To wives 21 

TOTAL. .1706 

The following were their destinations, ref- 
ugees leaving on steamers from Yokohama or 
Kobe: 

To the United States 1551 

Canada 103 

South Africa 15 

Hawaiian Islands 11 

Argentina 10 

China 4 

India 1 

Returned to Siberia at our expense 11 

TOTAL 1706 

The social status of the adults was : 

Married 559 

Single 204 

Widowed 33 

TOTAL 796 

Another refugee, not iceluded in the total 
number, who was afflicted with tuberculosis 
died on February 1st. Having been a member 
of the Greek Catholic Church in his own coun- 
try, our Society arranged the burial in accord- 
ance with the rites of his faith. "We purchased 
a plot on the local cemetery for him and paid 
the funeral expenses from our funds. His name 
was Gregori Mishin, aged 26. He came from 
Tcherepowitz, Novogrodsky Gubernia and was 
originally destined to Honolulu. 

The eleven returned to Siberia were such 
that they could not possibly meet the require- 
ments of the United States immigration laws. 
Their phy.sieal, mental or intellectual condition 
prejudiced them from entry. The task of send- 
ing these eleven back to Siberia was as difficult 
as it was heart-rending. But there is the con- 
solation in the fact that all we did was in the 
best interests of the United States. 

On April 8th, T left for Harbin accompanied 
by the American Vice Consul-General, Mr. Lest- 
er L. Schnare, who however, was only able to 
remain with me for a couple of days. I stayed 
till May 2nd and then went to Nikolsk and 
Vladivostok, returning to Yokohama on May 
14th. 

The result of that trip was that, besides af- 
fording immediate relief to 311 family groups, 
I organized the Central Information Bureau for 
Jewish War Sufferers in the Par East with 
permanent branches at Harbin and Vladivostok. 
I also arranged for special trips of accredited 
representatives to various cities in Manchuria 



and Siberia for the purpose of establishing 
connections with our new Bureaus. The head- 
quarters of the Central Information Bureau are 
at our Home in Yokohama. 

One of the redeeming features of my other- 
wise saddening experiences in Harbin and 
Vladivostok was my ability to prevent futile 
trips by a considerable number of persons who, 
in my judgment, were below the standard re- 
quired of those eligible for admission into the 
United States, thus sparing them the great 
expense as well as the misery of inevitable de- 
portation. 

Owing to the abnormal conditions in Siberia 
and Russian Manchuria it was impossible to 
obtain accurate figures of the number of Jewish 
refugees there. However, conservative esti- 
mates made by reliable persons placed the num- 
ber of such Jewish refugees above 20,000, all 
scattered east of the Urals. They are mostly 
broken families; all claiming kin in the United 
States. 

It appears that the Russian authorities, as 
well as the Jewish Relief Societies in Russia, 
have made it a practice since the outbreak of 
the war and the close of trans-Atlantic pas- 
senger traffic to divert almost all refugees 
claiming blood relations in the United States 
towards Eastern Siberia. 

The number of refugees I left in Japan in- 
cluding Yokohama, Tokyo and Kobe was 154 
of whom 93 were in our shelter. 

The Road to Japan 

The refugees from Russia and Manchuria 
find their way into Japan through two main 
routes. From Russia they arrive via Vladivo- 
stok by steamship across the Sea of Japan. The 
landing is made at Tsuruga every Monday 
morning. 

From Manchuria the journey is made by 
rail with various changes until Fusan, Korea, 
is reached. There they embark on .a steamer 
which takes 12 hours to reach Shimonoseki, 
Japan. The last stage is made by rail, requir- 
ing about thirty hours to get to Yokohama. 
As a rule refugees arrive on Sunday morning, 
though quite often they come on mid-week days 
as well. 

As far as the arrivals from Vladivostok are 
concerned a steamer never fails to bring some 
refugees. It often happened however, that 
owing to internal troubles in Siberia between 
the Bolsheviki and their opponents the steamer 
was unable to leave Vladivostok. 

There are always between 50 and 100 ref- 
ugees being cared for by our Bureau at Vladivo. 
stok. They manage to get to Vladivostok in some 
roundabout way from Irkurt.sk; it is rarely, if 
ever, a continuous trip. Along the whole coun- 
try-side from Irkurtsk via Habarovsk to Vlad- 
ivostok there are hundreds of refugees strand- 
ed. Of course not all are Jews. The majority 



8 



in fact are non-Jews. The Jewish refugees as 
soon as they manage to get sufficient funds 
to take them to the next station, bring- 
ing them closer to Vladivostok, proceed. At 
times it takes two months to cover a journey 
of 1500 miles. On the way they meet with dis- 
couragement. They are advised not to go to 
Vladivostok both by unsympathic travelers who 
usually go in the opposite direction and by the 
different communities who have been asked by 
the Vladivostok Jewish Committee not to per- 
mit any more refugees to come there until 
ready to provide for them. 

At Harbin there are thousands of refugees, 
many of them sleeping in court yards, 
sheds and even among the Chinese. Jews 
are always to be found among others 
sleeping at the railroad stations. The 
old Jewish Relief Committee at Harbin 
is dominated by officials that simply do not 
wish to make any systematic effort to help these 
unfortunate people. Most of the refugees had 
once applied to the community but meeting 
with discouragement, never cared to ask for aid 
again. Only a small percentage of the refugees 
are receiving communal aid. 

How they manage to live is a mystery, as 
it is difficult to obtain legitimate employment 
in that city. 

Most of the refugees rescued from Harbin, 
who were sought by relatives in America 
■ were reached through newspaper advertise- 
ments which were inserted in the local press 
asking them to call at a stated hour at the of- 
fice of the local Relief Committee. 

I had arranged that the Secretary of the 
Relief Committee should receive the applica- 
tions of all those who would respond. To my 
great dismay I learned later that a big crowd 
had gathered near the office and that the Sec- 
retary instead of receiving the applications had 
told the applicants that the "Americanetz" was 
not there and it was no use for them to wait. 
As it was' not their first disappointment in their 
dealings with the "Komitat" they never 
came again. After this I remained at the 
office of the Committee for several days, receiv- 
ing the applications of those who called after 
the hour designated in the advertisement. It 
was these people we helped to become reunited 
with their families in America. 

Since opening our Harbin Bureau, many 
come with requests to locate their relatives in 
this country. These requests made on special 
forms are forwarded on to Yokohama and 
thence to our main office in New York. 
Since my arrival here the Society has received 
several letters containing such requests from 
Harbin transmitted through the Yokohama 
Bureau. 

As to Vladivostok, the main trouble there 
is with the male refugees who are not given any 
assistance by the local community. Their con- 



dition is most deplorable; "they are actually 
picking up crumbs of bread wherever they can 
find them, and they sleep in any shed they can 
find along the railroad tracks. Their number 
is very large. In the course of my investiga- 
tion in Vladivostok I came across several hun- 
dreds at the railroad station at five o 'clock one 
morning. Their pitiful pleas and the recital of 
their horrible plight nearly broke my heart, 
particularly so since I felt that I was powerlesa 
to do anything. 

The Bureaus 

A summary of the work in connection 
with the establishing of the Bureaus show that 
the Bureau at Yokohama is now a thoroughly 
organized and well established institution bear- 
ing the name of our Society, with permanent 
correspondents at Tokyo, Kobe and Nagassaki. 

The one at Vladivostok, having direct com- 
munication with all the Jewish communities in 
Siberia, is conducted very efficiently. 

The main purpose of the Bureau at Harbin 
is to meet the most urgent needs of Jewish war 
refugees in Manchuria. 

To the Harbin and Vladivostok Bureaus 
funds are transmitted from Japan for the ref- 
ugees. This is of the utmost importance, since 
prior to the opening of the Bureaus there were 
practically no means of forwarding money. The 
value of these Bureaus is recognized by the 
American Consuls who, too, utilize them occa- 
sionally for the transmission of money. 

The activities of the Bureaus are twofold; 
physical and educational. 

The physical phase consists in providing 
shelter, food, clothing, relief, medical treatment, 
physical examinations, convalescent care, in- 
formation, guidance, etc., for the refugees. No 
steamship ticket is obtained for any refugees 
unless a complete bill of health is given. 

The matter of correspondence may too be 
included in the physical side. Letters for refu- 
gees, letters from relatives, communications 
from Russia, from organizations in America 
seeking the heads of families already set- 
tled here, communications with the main of- 
fice of the Society in New York and the 
branches notably those in San Francisco and 
Seattle — all this means a great deal of energy 
and calls for the exercise of wise judgment and 
care. 

A very wide area is covered by this volum- 
inous correspondence. Indeed it forms one of 
the most important activities of the Bureaus 
since a great deal of the subsequent work de- 
pends upon it. 

There is another aspect of this physical side 
that must be dwelt upon. It is but natural 
that among the thousands of refugees eager 
to escape from intolerable conditions there 
should be those who cannot possibly be admit- 
ted into the United States. They are simply 
ineligible. All this has to be explained and 



made clear. It is the function of the Bureaus 
at Harbin, Vladivostok and Yokohama to pre- 
vent such making even the attempt to sail for 
America. The Bureaus are strictly guided by 
the United States Immigration Laws. 

The physical side is of intensely human in- 
terest. It calls for the display on the part of 
the workers of the very quality requisite to 
the successful handling of the refugees and 
their manifold wants. 

The educational aspect of the Avork of the 
Bureaus may too be termed the spiritual. For 
provision has to be made for the religious needs 
of the refugees. The employment of a shochet, 
who is also the mashgiach and chazan at the 
Tokohama Home was a matter of moment. It 
meant that the refugees who, it is rightly to be 
assumed, were observant Jews at home would 
only be too glad to avail themselves of the op- 
portunity to resume these practices interrupted 
by untoward conditions. Furnishing the Home 
with a Sepher Torah, providing prayer books, 
taleithim and other ritual paraphernalia may 
appear to the superficial observer as beyond 
the scope of the relief to be afforded to the 
refugees. To the student of human psychology, 
and particularly of the psychology of the Jew 
these things will suggest themselves among the 
first to be provided. 

It is the duty of the Bureaus to bring home 
to the refugees who are destined to the United 
States the message of America and the benefi- 
cial effects of Americanization and the urgency 
of becoming identified with the life of the new 
country. I had this in mind when I read to 
the refugees in our Home at Yokohama, Am- 
bassador Morris' appeal for contributions to 
the American Red Cross, which was voluntarily 
responded to ; the amount collected, Y260, 
was transmitted through Ambassador Mor- 
ris. This was a concrete example in Amer- 
icanization. The classes in English need no 
special comment, they speak for themselves. 

The object of the educational activities is 
to make the process of adjustment to the new 
conditions as easy and as quick as possible. 
The workers bear in mind that the Bureaus are 
American institutions, and that the work of 
Americanization must begin before the ref- 
ugees start on the last stage of their journey to 
the United States. 

The Bureaus on Russian and Manchurian 
soil are Branches of the Central Information 
Bureau for Jewish "War Sufferens in the Far 
East. As previously stated the headquarters 
of the Central Bureau are in our Home at Yo- 
kohama. 

Prior to my departure from Yokohama I 
left full instructions — in writing — with Mr. 
Kasakewitch and Mr. Silberberg who are in 
full charge of our work in the Far East. These 
instructions besides dealing with the routine 



work, relate to the definite policies of our 
Society, 

The Character of the Refugees 

It is very important that I dwell upon the 
character of the refugees. They are not Bol- 
shevikis nor in any way sympathetic to the 
Bolshevists and their regime. They are peace- 
loving, law-abiding people who under the old 
regime went about their business. Intensely 
Jewish they actively participated in every com- 
munual endeavor. They fled from intolerable 
conditions and give evidence of every eagerness 
to resume their former normal life as speedily 
as possible. In a word the refugees belong to 
what may termed the "Bale-batishe" element 
or as we would say the "Middle-Class." 

Our Influence Upon Judiasm in Japan 

Our operations in the Far East already have 
had a marked influence upon Jewish life in 
Japan, and will be of still greater effect in the 
future. 

Up to January 17, 1918, when I unpacked 
the Scrolls of the Law, which you with so much 
foresight included among the things 1 
was to take to Japan, there was no semblance 
of Jewish life anywhere in Japan. It is true 
that during one summer prior to the outbreak 
of the war, a small number of wealthy Russian 
and Austrian Jewish merchants had taken up 
their residence at the port of Nagassaki, in the 
extreme southern end of Japan. They erected 
a small building for use as a synagogue, but 
since the beginning of hostilities it is closed. 
All the Russian Jews left and the Austrian 
Jews retired into seclusion. Nagassaki is about 
thirty hours by rail from Yokohama and the 
Jews residing in the latter city with the ex- 
ception of two, did not know of the existence 
of the Nagassaki synagogue, until March, when 
I told them of it, after having received an ap- 
peal for matzoths for the coming Passover, 
from the few Jewish settlers who still remained 
in Nagassaki. 

At our Home in Yokohama a nice room has 
been fitted up as a synagogue. The Scrolls of 
the Law, the Megillahs, Schofer, Prayer Books, 
Bibles, a complete set of the Talmud, Taleithim 
and Tephillin (Phylacteries) as well as other 
necessary ritual paraphernalia go to the make 
up of a well appointed synagogue. 

Prayers are held daily morning, afternoon 
and evening, as well as on Sabbath and on all 
Jewish holy days. The knowledge of the ex- 
istence of the synagogue spread throughout the 
country and Jewish settlers from different parts 
of Japan came to Yokohama to attend services. 
Particularly was this so during the Holy Days 
when memorial services were conducted. Since 
the opening of the synagogue hardly a week 
has passed that one or two "Yahrzeits" have 
not been observed. 



10 



The installation of our Kosher Kitchen is 
another inauguration that will help to intensify 
the new Jewish life in Japan. Our shochet is 
the first and only one in that country. Dozens 
of families who were not known to be Jews 
at all to most of their acquaintances have since 
begun to keep Kosher kitchens — with two sets 
of dishes — and they call frequently at our 
Home with live poultry to be killed by our 
shochet. Our Home in Japan is the Jewish 
Community of Japan. It has become the Jew- 
ish center, recognized as such by all. If a 
Jew anywhere in Japan meets with difficulties, 
the local police or newspaper immediately com- 
municates with our Home. It is beyond my 
power to describe the astonishment as well as 
the feeling of comfort on the part of the un- 
fortunate one when he finds that there is a 
an organization to offerhim every protection. 
It may interest you to know that while 
our Home is distinctly Jewish, known and rec- 
ognized as such by foreigners as well as natives, 
its official title is ' ' The American House. ' ' This 
is probably due to the fact that it is the only 
private building in Yokohama or perhaps in 
the whole of Japan which continuously flies the 
American flag and to the further fact that Eng- 
lish is the official language of the Home. 

Seder services Avere held on Passover for 
260 persons in the presence of many residents 
who were guests of the Society. 

One wedding ceremony was performed on 
March 25th in our synagogue. The bride came 
from New York, where her parents reside, and 
the bridegroom was a resident of Japan. 

Official Co-operation 

In my work I have had the co-operation 
of the United States Government, the Japanese 
Government, the British Government officials 
and the Russian Government officials in Man- 
churia. 

United States Government 

Had it not been for the spirit of broad hu- 
manitarism that actuates the administration 
in Washington, our efforts might have been 
frustrated at the very outset. War conditions 
made it necessary for the promulagtion of a 
new policy in regard to the visa of alien pass- 
ports and the American Consuls in Japan nat- 
urally had to guide themselves accordingly. 
However, due to your prompt action in advis- 
ing the State Department of the character of 
our work and thanks to the thorough compre- 
hension of that work by our government offi- 
cials, some of the greatest difficulties were over- 
come after the State Department had issued 
special instructions to the American Consuls 
at Harbin, Vladivostok, Kobe and Yokohama 
relative to the passports of women and chil- 
dren — war refugees — who are destined to male 
relatives in the United States. The consuls 



not only followed the letter of the modified 
instructions of the State Department, but they 
evidenced too a willingness to reflect the lib- 
eral spirit of President Wilson's administration. 
Having satisfied themselves as to the worthiness 
and the eligibility of the applicant they prompt- 
ly vised the passport. 

There was one flagrant exception. 

There has been complete co-operation be- 
tween the American Government and its offi- 
cials in the Far East and ourselves. Through 
the courtesy of the Hon. George H. Scidmore, 
American Consul-General at Yokohama, the of- 
ficial cable facilities were placed at our dis- 
posal. This proved an inestimable boon. 

Mr. Lester L. Sehnare, the Vice Consul at 
Yokohama made himself specially helpful. It 
was due to his interes't; that the United States 
representatives in that city became acquainted 
with our objects and work. 

The fact that the United States govern- 
ment took so deep an interest in our work made 
it easy for us to secure the good-will of the 
Japanese, British and Russian authorities. 

Japanese Government 

To conduct relief activities so closely allied 
with immigration work — a work that is set with- 
in certain bounds by a voluminous act of Con- 
gress, and to do that on foreign soil in time 
of war makes the task exceedingly difficult. 
When it is borne in mind that the victims of 
the war — these refugees — are citizens or sub- 
jects of the country that had just committed 
the fatal blunder of deserting the allies and 
concluding an ignominious peace with the en- 
emy, it will be realized that the work became 
hazardous as well as difficult. It was not sur- 
prising therefore, although very exasperating, 
that immediately following the announcement 
of a new policy regarding passport visas by the 
United States government, the Japanese gov- 
ernment should have adopted new regulations 
governing the admission of aliens into Japan. 

On January 24th the Official Gazette pub- 
lished the new immigration regulations of the 
Imperial Japanese government. You know the 
details because I mailed you extracts of the 
new regulations, at the same time informing 
you of the difficulties encountered as a result. 
The clause making it imperative for every per- 
son entering Japan to be in possession of not 
less than 250 Yen, and this included children, 
was the hardest blow Jewish refugees from 
Russia had to meet. Large families required 
250 Yen for every member. 

Consulting Ambassador Morris and Dr. Ono, 
whose acquaintance I made through a letter of 
introduction by Mr. Schiff, I was able to con- 
nect with Dr. Miyaoka, formerly Japanese Min- 
ister to Washington. He was good enough to 
introduce me to the Ministry of the Depart- 
ment for Home Affairs and to Baron Shibusawa. 



11 



As the result of the advice tendered me by 
these gentlemen I presented a formal petition 
to Baron Goto, then Minister of State for Home 
Affairs, in which I stated that we would guar- 
antee the Japanese Government that no one 
admitted into Japan into our custody would 
ever become a public charge. My petition vvas 
filed on February 12th. On March 11th I re- 
ceived a favorable reply in the nature of a 
permit from Baron Goto through Dr. Mij^aoka. 
Copies of the permit were sent by the Minister 
to the Governors of all the Prefectures having 
jurisdiction over Japanese Ports. 

The permit is marked "confidential." 

I am precluded in consequence from divulg- 
ing the arrangement arrived at between our- 
selves and the Japanese government. Suffice it 
to say that refugees of whom the Society has 
taken charge are noAv admitted into Japan. 

At Harbin the Japanese Consul kindly con- 
sented to waive the 21 days notice required 
of all travellers through Japan for visaing 
their passports, if the declaration bore the 
stamp of the Harbin Bureau. 

As the result of my representations special 
consideration was also given to our Vladivostok 
Bureau by the Japanese Consul in that city. 

The aim and the work of the Society 
are now well known in Japanese official cir- 
cles and have met with general approval. 

British Government 

Owing to the fact that a considerable per- 
centage of refugees from Kussia are destined 
to Bi-itish territory in various parts of the 
world, our Society was brought into frequent 
contact with the British Embassy and British 
Consulates in Japan. It affords me the ut- 
most pleasure to state that our Society was 
accorded every, in fact special courtesy by His 
Britannic Majesty's representatives. 

The restrictions on passport visa imposed 
by the United States Government and the new 
immigration regulations by Japan were fol- 
lowed b}' similar restrictions on the part of 
the British government. 

At one time we found ourselves in a great 
predicament. Four families bound for South 
Africa were on our hands. These families 
wandered for three years from Russia across 
Siberia until they managed to reach Yokohama. 
Due to sickness, lack of funds and inability 
to secure steamship accommodations to South 
Africa they were detained for five months in 
our care in Yokohama. "When all the afore- 
mentioned troubles had been overcome the 
British Consul notified us that the Russian 
passports held by persons destined to British 
territory will no longer be visaed. The Con- 
sul sympathized with our appeal but he said 
that he was helpless. He showed us that his 
instructions were mandatory. Thereupon we 
appealed to the British Embassy that we would 
vouch for the loyalty of the persons concerned. 



The British offieials then kindly consented to 
accept our statement and favorable action was 
taken. The four families whose journey from 
Yokohama to Cape Town lasted sixty days 
are now reunited with their loved ones. 

All ships from Japan bound for British ter- 
ritory, except North America must clear at 
Hong Kong which is a British port, but no 
ship is given clearance papers if it has Russian 
passengers on board, even if these have the 
visa of the British Consul. It, therefore be- 
came necessary for us to start negotiations 
through the British officials in Japan with the 
British authorities at Hong Kong. "While we 
did not succeed in bringing about a change of 
policy as affecting women aud children — war 
refugees — we were successful in securing favor, 
able action upon our appeals for individual 
cases which required a special order from the 
Hong Kong authorities, authorizing the British 
Consul to mark the face of every passport in- 
dicating that this visa was authorized by the 
Hong Kong authorities. 

Russian Government Officials in Manchuria 

I have to record Avith satisfaction the sur- 
mounting of one of the greatest difficulties 
which Avar refugees had to encounter before 
leaving Russian Manchuria, namely in connec- 
tion with obtaining foreign passports. That 
difficulty, as I learned upon my arrival in Har- 
bin, was not a war measure but rather the 
inherited policy of the old Russian regime, 
and a source of revenue upon which petty of- 
ficials had long thrived. Persons who had the 
price and paid it always secured passports on 
short notice ; all others were compelled to wait 
several months before their applications were 
acted on. Since the arrival of moneyless ref- 
ugees from the interior of Russia into Ilarbia 
began to increase, their applications for pass- 
ports had accumulated in stacks upon the deslcs 
of the officials for disposition in the course 
of the roiitine. The hungry eyed bribe-takers 
were awaiting "action" by the impatient ap- 
plicants. Thus it happened that hundreds of 
families, without necessary means remained in 
the slums of Harbin waiting, knoAving not why. 

As soon as I had satisfied myself of the un- 
derlying cause of the delay in issuing these 
passports, I called on the official in charge, 
Mr. Sokoloff, former Vice Governor of Man- 
churia, a gentleman of high standing in the 
community and Avho had recently visited the 
United States. After explaining my mission 
I Avas pleased to learn that he already kncAV 
of our activities at Yokohama of AA-hich he ap- 
proved. He promised to remedy the conditions 
I complained of, which, to his credit must be 
said, were promptly remedied, so that wo- 
men and children, Avar refugees, Avere grant- 
ed passports upon the certificate of our Harbiu 
Bureau. 

At Vladivostok the passport bureau Avas in 



12 



charge of conservative officials who were on 
friendly terms with the allied government's 
representatives. My representations there to 
Mr. Polovinsky resulted in action similar to 
that in Harbin. 

The Needs of the Future 

In discussing the needs of the future, this 
must be borne in mind : Whether we trace ref- 
ugees or do not, there will always be a natural 
flow of refugees, principly women and children 
through Harbin and Vladivostok into Yokoha- 
ma. Driven on by circumstances they will make 
their way somehow or other. 

There are at Harbin and Vladivostok now 
about 400 more refugees with whom we are in 
touch so that added to the 1706 referred to 
previously the total number thus far traced by 
our Society is over 2100. 

More than 20,000 Jewish war refugees are 
scattered east of the Urals. This is a con- 
servative estimate. Driven by the enemy 
thousands of miles away from their homes they 
went eastward in their flight because their 
nearest of kin are in the United States. These 
refugees must claim our attention as did those 
who succeeded in reaching China and Japan. 

They, too, are stranded, but their position is 
made more precarious by a hostile regime, aug- 
mented by the setting loose of thousands of 
German war prisoners who look upon the Jew- 
ish victims as the easiest prey for exercising 
their ill-concealed desire for vengeance upon 
their enemies. Thus the plight of the 8,000 
Jewish refugees from Kowna and Suwalke 
Gubernias now in Tomsk was for a time inde- 
scribable owing to persecution by the former 
German prisoners, whom the Bolsheviki permit- 
ted to administer and control that city. This 
was told to me by an intellectual Christian lady 
at Harbin who managed to escape from Tomsk 
three Aveel^js prior to my meeting her. Her 
name is Elena Llichalina Alexandrovska Gulin 
and she was then staying at the Hotel Mars, 
Potshtovaya Ulitza No. 83, Harbin. She has 
two sisters Mrs. Witold and Mrs. Wojswillo at 
930 Sprague Street, Brockton, Mass. 

The most urgent need of all the Jewish ref- 
ugees in Siberia is to enable them with the eon- 
sent of the United States Government, if neces- 
sary, to establish communication with their 
kin who reside in the United States. 

Our Society has the necessary machinery for 
this purpose which will assure dispatch as well 
as results. 

The Central Information Bureau with head- 
quarters at Yokohama is in a position to re- 
ceive all messages, of an approved form by 
the United States Government, and to send them 
by courier if necessary to Vladivostok. (This 
may not be necessary if the allies control the 
city of Vladivostok). Our Vladivostok Bureau 
is able to forward all such messages either by 
post or courier from one community to another 



untU the adressees are reached. The same meth- 
od can be applied to outgoing messages from 
Russia and Siberia. 

Remittances and general relief funds could 
also be transmitted by this method. 

In connection with this I desire to make the 
following recommendation : 

That our Society establish a Bureau of Com- 
munication, with the consent of the United 
States Government for the benefit of the Jewish 
war refugees in Siberia and their relatives ia 
the United States, using as a medium the Cen- 
tral Information Bureau at Yokohama, Vladi- 
vostok and Harbin. 

The Problem of Transportation 

The matter of transportation from the Far 
East to the American continent is one that 
gave us great concern. 

There are seven Trans-Pacific passenger 
lines, operating between Japan and the North 
American Continent, three Japanese, two Amer- 
ican, one British, one Dutch. 

Two of the Japanese Lines, the Nippon 
Yusen Kaisha and Osaka Shosen Kaisha have 
their American terminals at Seattle and Ta- 
coma, Washington, respectively. The third, the j 
Toyo Kisen Kaisha operates to San Francisco, 
stopping enroute at Honolulu. The Pacific 
Mail Steamship Company, China Mail Steam- 
ship Company and the Royal Nederland Line 
also operate at San Francisco making stops at 
Honolulu ; the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services, 
Limited, operates at Vancouver, B. C. 

Up to March this year, the Canadian Paci- 
fic Ocean Services was unable to accommodate 
European passengers in its third class reserva- 
tions, and since May its two largest ships — 
The "Empress of Asia "and "Empress of Rus- 
sia", have left the Pacific Service so that this 
company had since then and until my depart- 
ure for this country, only two passenger ves- 
sels in the Trans-Pacific service, to wit: "Em- 
press of Japan" and "Monteagle." These two 
steamers have but few third class cabins. 

The Royal Nederland Line had only two 
ships which carried some passengers in the 
third class — the "Koenigen der Nederland" 
and the "Princess Juliana." However these 
ships were withdrawn from Pacific service in 
the month of May, and the remaining vessels 
of that line have no third class accommodations 
at all. 

The Pacific Mail Steamship Company oper- 
ated three vessels — the "Columbia," the "Ven- 
ezuello" and the "Equador." The third class 
accommodations are limited to men and these 
were practically all sold out at the various 
ports touched by these steamers before they 
reached Yokohama on their eastward voyage. 

The same was true of the China Mail Steam- 
ship Company which had but one ship — The 
"China" — until the month of June when that 
company acquired the steamship "Nanking.' 



On July 1st the T. K. K. had the steamships 
"Tenyo Maru," "Shynio Maru," "Siberia 
Maru" and "Korea Maru" all having substan- 
tial steerage space but very limited accomoda- 
tions for European third class. This company 
had more passenger vessels going to San Fran- 
cisco until May when some of them were with- 
drawn from the service. 

The N. Y. K. and 0. S. K. like the T. 
K. K. operate ships which have substantial 
steerage space but very limited accommodations 
for European third class passengers. 

Our problem was two-fold; first to secure 
European third class accommodations on each 
sailing, and second to secure special accommo- 
dations in that class for women and children. 

The steamship companies frequently found 
it impossible to give us both, and it was but 
seldom that we secured the necessary special 
space for women and children. Our difficulties 
can be best imagined when it is considered that 
women and children constituted about 90 per 
cent of our wards. 

For most of our accommodations we had to 
look to the Japanese lines, but for the reasons 
above mentioned they were really unable to 
give us the desired space. There have been 
occasions, though, when we were denied space 
for entirely different reasons, revealed to us 
several months later. Some of these Steam- 
ship Companies had carried Russian passengers 
from America to Japan shortly after the out- 
break of the Russian Revolution. To some of 
these passengers, that trip to Russia was one 
continuous joyride. They started to celebrate 
the revolution as soon as they boarded the ship, 
regardless of the ship's rules and regulations, 
which led the officers and crew to protest to 
the Directors of the Companies against that 
class of passengers. It resulted in the issue of 
an order restricting the sale of steamship tick- 
ets to Russians. While it was aimed at certain 
disturbing elements, the new order struck first 
and hardest, the innocent and peaceful women 
and children war refugees who themselves 
sought refuge from the midst of this very dis- 
turbing element and barely escaped with their 
lives. 

Thanks to the thoughtfulness, foresight and 
generosity of Mr. Schiff, a letter of introduc- 
tion he gave me to Mr. Asano, President of 
The T. K. K., secured for me an audience with 
the latter, a broadminded and warm-hearted 
gentleman, who listened attentively to my rep- 
resentations, with the result that he had prompt, 
ly issued orders to the office of his company in 
Yokohama that 40 spaces be reserved on its 
steamers to San Francisco for our refugees. 

That proved a great relief but still not suf' 
ficient to meet our pressing needs. The other 
lines refused to sell us steamship tickets on the 
usual grounds of "no space available." The 
pressure of necessity then led us to seek other 



avenues of relief. After investigation, we es- 
tablished a temporary base for our activities 
in Kobe, a Japanese port where most ships 
touch before proceeding to Yokohama on the 
eastward voyage. There, we secured a limited 
number of spaces on some of the vessels and 
we thus managed to ship in various small groups 
within a period of three months, a total of 106 
refugees. 

After learning that the reluctance of the 
other steamship companies to sell us third class 
tickets was due partially to their fear of 
troublesome Russians, we opened negotiations 
with a -view of securing a better understanding 
on their part of the people we represented. An 
interview with the heads of the concerns, in- 
cluding Baron Kondo, President of the N. Y. 
K. secured a promise that this particular ob- 
jection would be waived thereafter in our cases. 
That was in the month of June, and we have 
since then been able to secure a few spaces on 
all their sailings. 

There have been times when we were bur- 
dened with 400 women and children pleading 
to be expedited, however, without relief in 
sight. That led us to consider the advisability 
of chartering a vessel for the sole purpose of 
transporting the entire number of refugees to 
one port in the United States. After discuss- 
ing it with an^ American Consular Official, I 
began negotiations for chartering a suitable 
vessel. Ocean-plying ships, not under charter 
are rarely found nowadays, but we succeeded in 
finding one at a port on the Inland Sea, namely 
the "Sylka." We had the ship investigated 
and reported on, but the ageruf of the owners 
or controllers of it insisted upon a guarantee 
that the ship would not be requisitioned by our 
Government upon arrival at a United States 
port. We were therefore compelled to drop 
the negotiations for the time being. 

During the two months prior to the with- 
drawal of the Steamships "Empress of Asia" 
and "Empress of Russia" from the Trans-Pa- 
cific _ service of the Canadian Pacific Ocean 
Services, Limited, 132 women and children sail- 
ed on these vessels. The "Empress of Russia" 
on March 23, carried 86 women and children 
refugees, in charge of a special matron. Spe- 
cial food in accordance with the Dietary Laws 
was provided for these refugees by the Steam- 
ship Company's agents at Yokohama. This was 
done in keeping with an agreement come to 
with the General Passenger Agent of the com- 
pany prior to my departure from the United 
States on November last. 



THE COST OF OPERATION UP TO DATE 

An extract from the financial statement 
showing what the work has cost will prove 
interesting. 



14 



Eeceipts : 
Prom November 16, 1917 to July 5, 

1918 Y95,522.54 

Sources of Receipts: 

Hebrew Sheltering and Im- 
migrant Aid Society of 
America Y87,917.97 

Balance in the bands of 

Mr. B. W. Fleisher .... 2,312.09 

Donations in Japan 2,734.08 

Refunds, etc 2,558.40 T95,522.54 

Disbursements : 
From January 1st, 1918 to July 1, 1918 

Total 81,844.79 

For Organization, Equip- 
ment of the Home in 
Yokohama, Renovating 
the Home, Maintenance 
Salaries, Establishing 
the Kosher Kitchen, 
Foodstuffs, Cables, 
Fares, Printing and 
Stationery, Hospital 
Treatment, Baths, Dis- 
pensary, Etc Y38,100.71 

Emergency Reserve Fund. .31,732.23 
Yokohama Emigrant Aid 

Society 2,847.00 

Harbin Bureau 3,200.02 

Vladivostok Bureau 1,129.03 

Refunds of Deposits 665.00 

Executive Expenses 4,170.80 Y81,844.79 

Recapitulation: 

Receipts Y95,522.54 

Disbursements 81,844.79 

Balance Y13,677.75 

1706 refugees were cared for at the Yokoha- 
ma Home at a total cost of Y38,100.71. This is 
Y22.33 or approximately $11.17 in American 
money per capita. 

Refugees Destined to Other Countries 
Reference has already been made to the fact 
that a considerable percentage of refugees was 
destined to other countries than the United 
States, namely, South Africa, South America, 
etc. This greatly aggravated the situation. The 
transportation facilities, as has been shown were 
not too good at any time and in these cases the 
difficulties became all the greater because it was 
simply impossible for a long time to secure 
transportation for families. "We were compelled 
to keep such refugees in Yokohama for several 
months. This entailed a great expense on our 
part and worked additional hardships upon 
the refugees. The state of affairs in regard 
to these refugees called for the exercise of a 
great deal of care as well as for patient and 
painstaking negotiations until transportation 
was secured. 



Cable Addresses 

We registered at Yokohama the Society's 
cable address "HIAS" and in Harbin and 
Vladivostok the Central Information Bureaus 
registered cable address is "CIBEGWOD." 

THANKS 
The U. S. Government 

It is impossible to conclude this report with- 
out placing on record the services that have 
been rendered to the Society and through it 
to the thousands of Jewish refugees by men 
who had no other motive but that of acting in 
accordance with their spirit of humanitarian- 
ism. 

In the first place a tribute must be accord- 
ed to the United States Government which 
through the Hon. Robert Lansing, Secretary 
of State, the Hon. W. B. "Wilson, Secretary of 
Labor and Mr. Louis F. Post, Assistant Secre- 
tary of Labor afforded every cooperation from 
the very inception of the Society's activities in 
the Far East. Secretary Lansing and Secretary 
Post kindly furnished me with personal letters 
of introduction. It goes without saying that 
these lettes proved an "open sesame" in Ja- 
pan. Their action reflected the high unselfish 
principles so characteristic of President "Wilson 
and his administration. 

The powerful aid of the United States gov- 
ernment made it possible for many difficulties 
to be overcome and generally smoothed the 
way to a successful accomplishment of the pur- 
poses of my mission. 

Mr. Jacob H. Schiff 
Mr. Jacob H. Schiff, who has shown every 
concern in the fate of the unfortunate refugees 
and whose heart and soul has been in the work, 
gave me four letters of introduction to gentle- 
men of the highest standing in Japan. The 
mere fact that I had come recommended by 
Mr. Schiff proved of inestimable help. In fact 
I am sure that so much would not have been 
accomplished had I not had Mr. Schiff 's very 
influential endorsement. 

Letters of Credence 

The Society is under a deep debt of grati- 
tute to the Hon. Abram I. Elkus, lately United 
States Ambassador to Turkey, to Mr. Louis 
Marshall, President of the American Jewish 
Committee, to the Hon. Simon Wolf, to the pub- 
lishers of the New York Jewish dailies, to the 
Japanese Embassy in the United States and to 
the Russian Embassy in the United States for 
their letters of credence as well as for the great 
interest they displayed in our work. 

United States Representatives in the Far East 

The Hon. Roland S. Morris, American Am- 
bassador to Japan with whom I have conferred 
frequently was ever ready with his advice and 



15 



suggestions. His counsel proved at all times 
of service. 

The Hon. George H. Scidmore, the Amer- 
ican Consul-General at Yokohama, with whom 
I came into almost daily contact, very kindly 
placed at my disposal the facilities of his office 
and any member of his staff who might be help- 
ful. Mr. Scidmore showed a thorough appreci- 
ation of the gravity of the situation and of the 
purposes of our mission. 

Acknowledgement must be made of the 
splendid aid given by Vice Consuls Lester L. 
Schnare, Henry B. Hitchcock and Paul E. 
Jenks of the American Consulate at Yokohama. 

The Hon. Robert Frazer, Jr., and Hon. 
Eugene H. Dooman, American Consuls at Kobe 
and the Hon. John K. Caldwell, American Con- 
sul at Vladivostok made themselves specially 
helpful. 

The Japanese Government 

Our very best thanks are due to Baron Goto, 
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Governor 
Ariyoshi of Kangawa-Ken and Mayor Ando of 
Yokohama. 

Japanese Private Support 

It was very encouraging to secure the co- 
operation and support of Baron Shibusawa, 
Mr. Inouye, President of the Yokohama Specie 
Bank, Mr. Asano, President Toyo Kisen 
Kaisha and Dr. Ono, Vice President Industrial 
Bank of Japan, personal friends of Mr. Jacob 
H. Schiff. 

I was very fortunate in becoming acquaint- 
ed through Dr. Ono with Dr. T. Miyaoka, the 
leading jurist of Japan and former Japanese 
Minister plenipotentiary to the United States. 
He quickly realized the importance of the So- 
ciety's mission and made connections for me 
with the highest authorities in Japan. Dr. 
Miyaoka is, too, a personal friend of Mr. Schiff. 

Mr. B. W. Fleisher 

Through a letter from Mr. Schiff I made the 
acquaintance of Mr. B. W. Fleisher, the pub- 
lisher of the well-known daily, the Japan Ad- 
vertiser. Mr. Fleisher knew of our work for 
he had apprised Mr. Schiff of the situation rel- 
ative to tlae refugees and it was through him 
that Mr. Schiff forwarded the $3,000 voted by 
the Society for the initial outlay of the So- 
ciety for relief of the refugees. Knowing the 
state of affairs as he did, Mr. Fleisher apart 
from the humanitarian instinct that moved him, 
was able to afford me every advice. He gave 
a great deal of his time and in every way show- 
ed his devotion to the cause we have at heart. 

Mr. and Mrs. M. Ginzburg 

Reference has been made in the report to the 
"Ginzburg Home for Russian Emigrants." 



From the very outset Mr. Ginzburg and Mrs. 
Ginzburg were very anxious to relieve the dis- 
tress of the refugees as much as was possible 
for them. They expended money, gave person- 
al service and after the Society took charge 
of the Ginzburg Home continued their co-oper- 
ation and support. 

Mr. Maurice Russel 

Mr. Maurice Russel, "The Grand Old Man," 
among the Jews of Japan, the President of 
the Jewish Benevolent Society of Yokohama, 
kindly administered the "Ginzburg Home" be- 
fore my arrival. Mr. Russel has shown a very 
kind interest in our work. 

Mr. B. Zirschbaum 

Mr. B. Kirschbaum was the President of 
the former Yokohama Emigrant Aid Society 
which has done real good work. Mr. Kirsch- 
baum as soon as we took charge of the activi- 
ties in Yokohama turned everything over to 
our Society, giving us his fullest co-operation. 

Mr. Max Sherower, was the Vice President 
of the Yokohama Emigrant Aid Society. His 
interest in the welfare of the refugees never 
lagged. Since we have taken charge, his con- 
crn in that direction has become intensified. He 
is ever ready to be of service. 

Mr. Jophe was the Treasurer of the Yoko- 
hama Emigrant Aid Society. He has far from 
given up his connection with the work for the 
refugees. Mr. Jophe continues his support and 
is a visitor at the Home from time to time. 

Ladies Committee 

Earlier in my report I referred to the Ladies 
Committee organized as an auxiliary of the 
Ginzburg Emigrant Home. Mesdames Isaacs, 
Berriek, Neville and Brown willingly co-opera- 
ted with Mrs. Ginzburg. 

Mr. D. Yurovsky is our correspondent at 
Kobe. He has rendered very valuable services 
for which we are deeply indebted to him. 

Conclusion 

This brings to an end the report of six 
months labors in the Far East. In this account 
the bare facts have been stated. The first steps 
only have been taken in this work which in 
order to be effective must reach much greater 
proportions than were at first deemed neces- 
sary. 

Respectfully submitted, 
Aug. 12, 1918. SAMUEL MASON. 



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